The invention relates to a method, a system and a computer program product for transferring at least a first personal setting of a first vehicle to a second vehicle, in particular for a driver, who changes vehicles.
The prior art discloses a method for securing personalization data with an external diagnostic device in the workshop. The diagnostic device reads the data from the controller of a vehicle and then imports this data into a newly installed controller or into the controller provided with updated software. A conversion of the data does not take place.
A transfer or porting of data to different vehicles is neither possible nor provided. Two controllers are “different,” when they do not exhibit the same amount of personalization data (i.e., a plurality of different setting options); or the controllers interpret the same data differently. As a rule, controllers with, for example, different parts numbers may be regarded as different. Moreover, there are also no confidentiality or security measures against an improper exchange of data. The current security relies on the fact that access by arbitrary persons to the vehicle and to the diagnostic device is not possible.
The porting of data between vehicles of different series is also neither provided nor possible in the known state of the art.
The object of the invention consists particularly of providing a method, by which the vehicle settings known to the driver from a first vehicle are transferred as true to the original as possible to a second vehicle.
This problem is solved by providing a method for transferring at least a first personal setting of a first vehicle to a second vehicle, in particular for a driver, who changes vehicles. The first personalization data indicating the personal first setting is exported from the first vehicle in the original form or in a modified form in a first step. And, the first personalization data is imported into the second vehicle in a second step. The second personalization data is formed based on the imported data. A personal setting is carried out with the second personalization data in the second vehicle, whereby the model and/or the accessories of the first and second vehicle are identical or different. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are described and claimed herein.
According to a first important aspect of the invention, first personalization data indicating the personal first setting are exported from the first vehicle in the original form, or in a modified form, in a first step. In a second step, the data are imported into a second vehicle; and second personalization data are formed based on the imported data; and a personal setting is carried out in the second vehicle.
This has the advantage that the model and/or the accessories of the first and the second vehicle are identical, but may also be different.
The term personalization data includes the data for settings in the vehicle that may be made by or for a person using this vehicle. Some examples are data relating to the seat adjustment, the radio volume level, the navigation destination lists, and settings of alarm systems and unlocking, as well as current CKM (car key memory). In addition, personalization data may also include rules, which are used for setting the settings or for influencing the vehicle functions (active data). An example is a rule that formalizes so as to be machine readable that the vehicle switches on the low beam headlights as soon as the vehicle speed exceeds 100 km/h. Furthermore, personalization data may also include programs that can be executed in the vehicle, e.g., in the form of machine-independent Java byte code. Even personal services implemented in software, such as an automatic seat adjustment function, fall within the scope of personalization data.
One advantageous embodiment of the invention provides that the first personalization data are converted into a vehicle-independent data format. The personal settings are carried out in the second vehicle with the aid of the data in the vehicle-independent data format.
Another advantageous embodiment of the invention provides that the first personalization data are exported from the first vehicle in a form that permits the model of the first vehicle to be recognized. With the aid of these data, the personal settings are carried out in the second vehicle.
Each of the two alternatives makes it possible in an advantageous, flexible manner to match the data indicating the setting in the source vehicle (or rather in the first vehicle) with data that triggers in the destination vehicle a setting that is as true to the original as possible or when changing vehicles matches a setting that the driver or the passengers generally expect.
As an alternative or in addition to the above, another advantageous embodiment of the invention provides that the personalization data, which are exported from the first vehicle in the original form or in a modified form, and/or the first personalization data, which are converted into a vehicle-independent data format, and/or the first personalization data, which exhibit a form that permits the model of the first vehicle to be recognized, are encoded and/or signed. Preferably, the encoding and signature are implemented with the public-key method.
These measures can ensure both the confidentiality of the personalization data and their authenticity. Confidential personalization data may include, for example, names, telephone numbers and addresses from a contacts database (telephone or address software application).
As an alternative or in addition to the above, a preferred embodiment of the invention provides that the first personalization data are retrieved from at least a first controller of the first vehicle and/or from a first central database, provided in the first vehicle, prior to their export. The second personalization data, which have been formed based on the first personalization data, are fed or will be fed to at least a second controller of the second vehicle and/or a second central database provided in the second vehicle.
Another advantageous embodiment of the invention is characterized in that the second personalization data are formed from the first personalization data with the use of a table, a matrix, or another allocation specification, in particular a table, which takes into account the vehicle models, which may or may not be different.
Another embodiment of the invention provides that the first personalization data are combined with other personalization data into one group and then jointly encoded and/or signed.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.